Transcription/discussion of the Hot Press article (not the photo!)

[Maurice E]

Anyone able to properly transcribe? I know it was done in bits on the other thread.
Can we discuss some of Morrissey's comments in this thread? The other one is full of pictures of nude men so a bit tricky to look at in the office!

Here are some interesting points I gleaned;

• Moz had nothing to do with the 02 line up, apparently (not sure I'm convinced about this!).
• He was never into Beck. A friend asked him to wear the t-shirt in his video.
• He despairs of modern politicians' looks and hair cuts!
• He puts down his recent (relative) commercial success to the quality of the songs which he thinks are a lot better than his previous stuff.
• His favourite song is Life is a Pigsty.
• He no longer likes Roy's Keen! Took him a while to realise though; I'm sure he played it a few tours.

That's about all I can remember...

[Jones]

An interesting part of the interview for me is what he says about Bowie being an antidote to the sort of macho skinhead types Manchester was full of in the seventies.

I'm sure journalists will not pick up on this because they are wedded to the idea of Morrissey being "in love" with skinheads and tough boys. But it confirmed what I've always thought his real relationship to these archetypes is. That most of the time he is taking the piss out of them, not admiring them.

[Claudia2006]

Really good topic. Those pictures were a little bit distracting, I think.

The very first thing he said - "I wouldn't be sad if David Davis was eaten alive in the middle of the street by a pack of hyenas" - was pure hilarious genius and I plan to steal it from him one day in conversation, substituting someone I hate for David Davis.

I love how he explained his writing process, very similar to what he said in the last TTY Q&A about his songs being like "outbursts or showers of panic."

[CeciDeMorrissey]

Guys, I transcribed for my Facebook page excerpts of the interview about the subjects I'm more interested about, seeing Morrissey as a brilliant thinker. This is it:

WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL INTERVIEW ON HOT PRESS! These are some REMARKABLE excerpts on issues I'm really obsessed about:

"On the subject of sex, you are quoted as saying in a interview, "I always found it particularly unenjoyable. But that again is something that's totally associated with my past and the particular views I have." Has your view changed radically?

Morrissey: Hasn't changed at all. But there's no point asking me anything about romance because I know nothing about it, and that's just my tough luck, end of story.

Then, the journalist inquires about relationships and Morrissey, always using his full brain capacity, treats us to a wonderful, smart, witty, brilliant and impossible- not-to -agree -with answer:

I have a volume of classic "Melody Maker" interviews, called "First Among Sequels". There's an interview with you in there, and there's this quote that I really find quite striking: "I just don't have a tremendously strong belief that relationships can work. I'm really quite convinced that they don't". Do you now associate that view exclusively with your youth, or do you still feel there's a grain of truth in it?

Morrissey: It seems to me that people are compelled to pair-off, mainly due to companionship and really nothing else, and even then it doesn't work. Marriage is a business exchange -you do this for me, and I'll do that for you. People who are married are also easy to govern by the state, so this is why marriage is shoved in our faces as being the ideal. On the other hand, people who remain single into their 30s and 40s are a social threat in several ways. Having a wife or a family is always viewed as a man's weak spot, whereas if he's 44 and unattached, he's a mystery.

But if we ever come across two people who have been married for decades we're usually amazed. It's like peering at a strange headless species. People like me prove that you can survive without romance, even though you end up a bit unbalanced and you tend to argue with you own reflection. If you can manage to find someone who loves you and whom you love then it strikes me as an absolute miracle, and you should hang on to that person. Most people use up their entire lives trying to find that special unity with one other person, and you have no control over who that person might be. It leads you, you don't lead it.

On Depression

The song "Something Is Squeezing My Skull" is about anti-depressants. Are you sceptical about their usefulness?

Morrissey: Whatever gets you through. I'm not judgemental about these things... Booze, drugs, if it helps you, then take it. Life is a difficult business, and most people find it to be actually impossible... even Jesus only made it to 33. I don't know why we're all so hard on ourselves. We all need the same things from life, and they're very simple things, yet we all make sure that the other doesn't get it. People are so pathetic, on the whole. I mean pathetic in a sad sense.

Hot Press - June 2008.

[Je Suis Julie]

I loved the bit about living in LA:

"searching for the smogginess and dim-light of those old films..."

And I love how he loves Batman:

"...and the Wayne Manor bit. You know, Bruce Wayne and his youthful ward Dick Grayson"

[theneverplayedsymphony]

And I love how he loves Batman:

"...and the Wayne Manor bit. You know, Bruce Wayne and his youthful ward Dick Grayson"

He's probably talking about the Adam West television show though as he has Burt Ward in his manuscript Exit Smiling (about Also-rans!). Am I wrong, or is Burt Ward a paedophile?

[Worm]

This reminds me of one of my favorite Conan O'Brien stories:

Two Harvard Freshmen, Jess Bravin (now at the Wall Street Journal) and Peter Sagal (now at NPR), had convinced the actor who played Robin, Burt Ward, to speak on campus. The invitation was something of a lark, to see if the administration could be convinced to treat an icon of frivolous pop culture as a serious academic.

O'Brien was not involved with the invitation, but was president of the Lampoon, and devised a scheme to interfere.

Ward faced a lecture hall "jammed" with 250 students, the Boston Globe reported at the time, and he brought his costume, attached to a mannequin. O'Brien approached him before the speech. Here's how he described the conversation in 1998 to Playboy:

Conan: We went dressed as security guards. I said, "Mr. Ward, I've been sent by the dean to safeguard the costume." As if it were the Shroud of Turin. But the guy is humorless. "Yes, very good. That costume is very valuable," he says.

Midway through the speech, O'Brien and the rest of the Lampoon crew cut the lights. Bravin described the theft:

They burst into the lecture Burt was giving and a huge fat guy dressed as the Penguin said in a heavy Boston accent, "Mistah Wahwd, when is a secyoo-it-ee gahd not a secyoo-it-ee gahd?" Then the student security guards, who I had thought were somewhat suspicious, grabbed the mannequin with Burt's costume and ran out the hallway. Peter tackled them outside the lecture hall, but they outnumbered him and got away with it.

Bravin handled "hostage negotiations" with O'Brien the next day, which ultimately proved successful, but not before O'Brien had his fun with the aging star.

Conan: We proceeded to torment Burt Ward for hours on the phone, saying, "This is the Joker, hee-hee-hee. I've got your costume."

PLAYBOY: How did Burt react?

O'BRIEN: Robinlike. He said, "Return it or you will feel my wrath!"

PLAYBOY: Burt Ward used to tell reporters he had an IQ of 200.

O'BRIEN: He may be delusional.

[Je Suis Julie]

This reminds me of one of my favorite Conan O'Brien stories:

Two Harvard Freshmen, Jess Bravin (now at the Wall Street Journal) and Peter Sagal (now at NPR), had convinced the actor who played Robin, Burt Ward, to speak on campus. The invitation was something of a lark, to see if the administration could be convinced to treat an icon of frivolous pop culture as a serious academic.

O'Brien was not involved with the invitation, but was president of the Lampoon, and devised a scheme to interfere.

Ward faced a lecture hall "jammed" with 250 students, the Boston Globe reported at the time, and he brought his costume, attached to a mannequin. O'Brien approached him before the speech. Here's how he described the conversation in 1998 to Playboy:

Conan: We went dressed as security guards. I said, "Mr. Ward, I've been sent by the dean to safeguard the costume." As if it were the Shroud of Turin. But the guy is humorless. "Yes, very good. That costume is very valuable," he says.

Midway through the speech, O'Brien and the rest of the Lampoon crew cut the lights. Bravin described the theft:

They burst into the lecture Burt was giving and a huge fat guy dressed as the Penguin said in a heavy Boston accent, "Mistah Wahwd, when is a secyoo-it-ee gahd not a secyoo-it-ee gahd?" Then the student security guards, who I had thought were somewhat suspicious, grabbed the mannequin with Burt's costume and ran out the hallway. Peter tackled them outside the lecture hall, but they outnumbered him and got away with it.

Bravin handled "hostage negotiations" with O'Brien the next day, which ultimately proved successful, but not before O'Brien had his fun with the aging star.

Conan: We proceeded to torment Burt Ward for hours on the phone, saying, "This is the Joker, hee-hee-hee. I've got your costume."

PLAYBOY: How did Burt react?

O'BRIEN: Robinlike. He said, "Return it or you will feel my wrath!"

PLAYBOY: Burt Ward used to tell reporters he had an IQ of 200.

O'BRIEN: He may be delusional.

OMG!

As we know, "You're Gonna Need Someone On Your Side" is totally the Batman theme song, riff an' all.

Shazaaam!

[sistasheila]

let me move my post days ago from the "naked in hot press" thread in here since my attempt to discuss theninterview wasnt rreally seen there...

okay back to the interview part
..i found his opion on realtionships very interesting but one thing he havent mentioned: unattatched men are one thing,unattached women is another thing ..being an single[/B] man you are being considered as
cool ,independent...
as a woman ..well
..you dont have to be 40 and single to be considered weird,being in your late 20 ties and being unattached ever since is like being the elephant (wo(man)

what do you think about this topic?

by the way i hardly cant read it it was very small even the large attempt expand version i had problems with...and the 3rd one couldnt get expanded into large anyway

[vivabob]

He's probably talking about the Adam West television show though as he has Burt Ward in his manuscript Exit Smiling (about Also-rans!). Am I wrong, or is Burt Ward a paedophile?

i think you are wrong ..

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burt_Ward

[Dow Jones]

I loved his bit about Jack the Ripper, but slightly before that he mentioned Dahmer... and I feel compelled to say that Dahmer does have a "name," he's known as the Milwaukee Monster, though not frequently. I do see what he was getting at though.

It pleases me IMMENSELY that he also suspects that Jack the Ripper may have been female. I cannot stress that enough, heh.

[marred]

um thx for sharing but could one of you actually scan the interviews plz? It's getting a little frustrating hearing about the article second hand.

plz no more "Oh I love the bit where....."

I mean what bit where show us.

[Dow Jones]

um thx for sharing but could one of you actually scan the interviews plz? It's getting a little frustrating hearing about the article second hand.

plz no more "Oh I love the bit where....."

I mean what bit where show us.

http://forums.morrissey-solo.com/sho...&postcount=121

[Anaesthesine]

I'm still waiting for Gem Spa to come through, so thanks Ceci, this is all I've read:

Morrissey: It seems to me that people are compelled to pair-off, mainly due to companionship and really nothing else, and even then it doesn't work. Marriage is a business exchange -you do this for me, and I'll do that for you. People who are married are also easy to govern by the state, so this is why marriage is shoved in our faces as being the ideal. On the other hand, people who remain single into their 30s and 40s are a social threat in several ways. Having a wife or a family is always viewed as a man's weak spot, whereas if he's 44 and unattached, he's a mystery.

But if we ever come across two people who have been married for decades we're usually amazed. It's like peering at a strange headless species. People like me prove that you can survive without romance, even though you end up a bit unbalanced and you tend to argue with you own reflection. If you can manage to find someone who loves you and whom you love then it strikes me as an absolute miracle, and you should hang on to that person. Most people use up their entire lives trying to find that special unity with one other person, and you have no control over who that person might be. It leads you, you don't lead it.

I adore Morrissey, but he is dead wrong, and he is projecting, and he risks sounding bitter instead of wise. He sort of redeems himself with the "hang on to that person" bit.

On Depression


Morrissey: People are so pathetic, on the whole. I mean pathetic in a sad sense.

Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha, I really do love him - redeemed!

[Dow Jones]

I adore Morrissey, but he is dead wrong, and he is projecting, and he risks sounding bitter instead of wise. He sort of redeems himself with the "hang on to that person" bit.

Morrissey? Bitter? Well I never.

[Anaesthesine]

Morrissey? Bitter? Well I never.

A very wise friend of mine said that "bitter" is the one emotion that no one does well.

Of course I answered "Well, there's Morrissey." He just rolled his eyes.

[justme]

A couple of things I don't really buy

His views on sex - alternative version - I don't want to say anything about that so there is no point asking

and also the fact that he has nothing to do with the wireless line up - yeah, right - alternative version- before you ask me about Kristeen young, I have nothing to do with the lineup :

Great interview - Moz is the best!

[Jones]

I'm still waiting for Gem Spa to come through, so thanks Ceci, this is all I've read:



I adore Morrissey, but he is dead wrong, and he is projecting, and he risks sounding bitter instead of wise. He sort of redeems himself with the "hang on to that person" bit.




Ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha,ha, I really do love him - redeemed!

Why is it bitter to say that? Bitter would be if he was angry about it, which he makes clear he is not.

[Anaesthesine]

Why is it bitter to say that? Bitter would be if he was angry about it, which he makes clear he is not.

It is always difficult to catch a person's intent in print - especially with someone like Morrissey, whose body language tends to undercut the gravity of what he is saying. But it reads bitter on the page:

It seems to me that people are compelled to pair-off, mainly due to companionship and really nothing else, and even then it doesn't work...Marriage is a business exchange -you do this for me, and I'll do that for you. People who are married are also easy to govern by the state, so this is why marriage is shoved in our faces as being the ideal.

How on Earth does Morrissey know that marriages, or romantic relationships in general, don't work? He's made a career out of saying that he's never even come close. Evidence is all around that love does, in fact, work. For Morrissey to admit that would be something like acknowledging a failure on his part. His categorical dismissal of all romance reeks of denial and a certain self-protective smugness, which seems bitter to me.

Besides, I think he's really blowing hot air - his mouth always says "no no no" but his eyebrows say "yes".

[Jones]

It is always difficult to catch a person's intent in print - especially with someone like Morrissey, whose body language tends to undercut the gravity of what he is saying. But it reads bitter on the page:

It seems to me that people are compelled to pair-off, mainly due to companionship and really nothing else, and even then it doesn't work...Marriage is a business exchange -you do this for me, and I'll do that for you. People who are married are also easy to govern by the state, so this is why marriage is shoved in our faces as being the ideal.

How on Earth does Morrissey know that marriages, or romantic relationships in general, don't work? He's made a career out of saying that he's never even come close. Evidence is all around that love does, in fact, work. For Morrissey to admit that would be something like acknowledging a failure on his part. His categorical dismissal of all romance reeks of denial and a certain self-protective smugness, which seems bitter to me.

Besides, I think he's really blowing hot air - his mouth always says "no no no" but his eyebrows say "yes".

Rubbish. Most relationships don't work in the long run. The divorce rate tells you all you need to know.